Prices soared to a top of 25,000gns at the Thompsons Ladies in Red Show and sale, hosted by the Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club at Ballymena Mart.
Auctioneer James Little described the event as a “star studded” sale. “This has been one of the best Ladies in Red sales yet, with a fantastic crowd and strong interest from online bidders. We’ve witnessed a joint female record price, five lots commanded five-figure price tags and seven heifers sold for export to pedigree herds in England and Wales.”
The sale was conducted by Harrison and Hetherington (Carlisle) in conjunction with JA McClelland and Sons (Ballymena), who confirmed an 84% clearance rate with 26 heifers changing hands to average £7,386 per head. This is £726 down on last year’s record average of £8,115 for 14 lots, but an additional 12 heifers were sold this year.
The day’s top price of 25,000gns came late in the day for Charlie Beverland from the Nugent Estate in Portaferry. He sold the eight-month-old Nugent Allspice, an ET heifer bred from Huntershall Nutcracker and Grahams Overlynice, to pedigree breeder Gareth Corrie from the Drumhilla Herd based at Newtownards.
Nugent Allspice boasts a packed pedigree and has an NT821 and Q204X mix of myostatin genes. Her dam, Grahams Overlynice – one of two pedigree cows in the herd – was sired by the 32,000gns Ampertaine Elgin and bred from the multi-award winning and three times Balmoral Limousin and interbreed champion, Millbrook Gingerspice; making her a full sister to the 250,000gns world record breaker, Wilodge Posh Spice.
Judge Paul Tippets from Shropshire awarded Nugent Allspice the reserve junior championship. He said: “This is a super heifer with great muscling for her age.”
The 25,000gns price tag is a joint record for a Limousin female sold at auction in Northern Ireland. It was set at the Ladies in Red sale twelve-months-ago when William Gabbie sold the reserve intermediate champion Hollowdene Ulay.
James McKay, Maghera, secured the second highest bid of 18,000gns for the intermediate and reserve supreme champion Ampertaine Villie ET. Another Ampertaine Elgin daughter, this thirteen-month-old heifer was bred from Ampertaine Millie who has produced bulls to a top of 35,000gns.
Judge Paul Tippets said: “This is really sweet young heifer with great muscling and breed character.” The reserve champion has a Q204X myostatin pairing and sold to online bidder David Evans, owner of the Loventium Herd based at Ceredignon in Wales.
Geoffrey and Elizabeth Rodgers and family, Dromara, secured the junior and supreme overall championship with Draperhill Valarie. This yearling heifer has double Q204X genes and was one of the first daughters offered for sale from herd sire Huntershall Rodman. Her dam is the Scotchtown Iceberg daughter, Draperhill Nicholette.
“The champion is a real stand-out heifer. She is well-grown for her age and oozes style and ring presence,” commented the judge. The champion attracted a bid of 16,000gns, selling to Peter McKeague from Millisle.
Next best at 15,000gns was the reserve intermediate champion Cranmoney Vee, bred by Mark McCartan from Crossgar. This fifteen-month-old heifer was sired by Graiggoch Rambo and is out of the home-bred Cranmoney Redlady. She has F94L and Q204X myostatin genes and sold to M Feeney from Carnlough.
James Alexander, Randalstown, claimed the senior championship with Jalex Vivid ET, and the reserve senior championship with Jalex Ubeauty ET.
Both were snapped up by Lucky Day Competitions based at Forkhill near Newry, for 10,000gns and 9,000gns. The nineteen-month-old Jalex Vivid ET has NT821 and Q204X genes. She was sired by Graiggoch Rambo and is out of Jalex Missy – dam of the £26,000 Jalex Superb. Jalex Ubeauty ET is a two-year-old heifer by Claddagh McCabe, bred from Jalex Nini. This one has F94L and Q204X genes.
NI Limousin Club chairman, Kieran McCrory from Sixmilecross, sold the second placed Bernish Vera for 8,000gns. This fifteen-month-old heifer has F94L and Q204X genes. She was sired by 25,000gns Ampertaine Shanghi, and is out of the home-bred Ampertaine Elgin daughter, Bernish Sissy. Buyers were Messrs AK and JK Smith, owners of the Smithy Herd based at Jacobstown, Bude, Cornwall.
Results from the showring…
Specials
Supreme Overall Champion: Rodgers Family’s Draperhill Valarie. Reserve: James McKay’s Ampertaine Villie ET.
Senior Champion: James Alexander’s Jalex Vivid ET. Reserve: James Alexander’s Jalex Ubeauty ET.
Intermediate Champion: James McKay’s Ampertaine Villie ET. Reserve: Mark McCartan’s Cranmoney Vee.
Junior Champion: Rodgers Family’s Draperhill Valarie. Reserve: Nugent Estate and Farm Ltd’s Nugent Allspice ET.
Classes
Class 1 – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Ubeauty ET by Claddagh McCabe; 2, Kieran McCrory, Bernish Undine by Mattben; 3, Messrs J and J Aiken, Carnew Ulrika by Plumtree Fantastic; 4, PJ McDonald, Tullyglush Uvanna by Derrylough Santafe.
Class 2 – 1, James Alexander, Jalex Vivid ET by Graiggoch Rambo; 2, Drumhilla Farm, Drumhilla Veronica by Slieve Sportyman; 3, Mark Stewart, Lenagh Vixen by Wilodge Cerbrus; 4, Nugent Estate and Farm Ltd, Nugent Vavavoom ET by Ampertaine Elgin.
Class 3 – 1, Trevor Shields, Glenmarshal Voodoo by Carrickmore Schumacher; 2,Quinn Bros, Killydun Vixen ET by Ampertaine Elgin; 3, Rodgers Family, Draperhill Vanessa by Huntershall Rodman; 4, MacParlim Genetics, McParlands Vanessa by McParlands Liteforever.
Class 4 – 1, Mark McCartan, Cranmoney Eve by Graiggoch Rambo; 2, Kieran McCrory, Bernish Vera by Ampertaine Shanghi; 3, Jack Hunter, Hunters Vitality by Seanita Superhero; 4, John Rainey, Claragh Voodoo by Elderberry Galahad.
Class 5 – 1, James McKay, Ampertaine Villie ET by Ampertaine Elgin; 2, M and R McGurk, Birchwood Vikki by Ampertaine Progressive.
Class 6 – 1, Rodgers Family, Draperhill Valarie by Huntershall Rodman; 2, Brian and Cahir McAuley, Larkhill Vera by Claddagh McCabe; 3, Brian and Cahir McAuley, Larkhill Vanessa by Claddagh McCabe; 4, Brian and Cahir McAuley, Larkhill Violet by Westpit Omaha.
Class 7 – Nugent Estate and Farm Ltd, Nugent Allspice ET by Huntershall Nutcracker; 2, Joan Gillland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Vintysgirl by Craigatoke Seanog; 3, Joan Gilliland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Vontysgirl by Craigatoke Seanog; 4, Joan Gilliland and Kim Montgomery, Ballyrobin Alice by Craigatoke Seanog.
ENDS
Auction – Ballymena
Report written by Julie Hazelton on behalf of the N.I. Limousin Cattle Club
